A failed summit hike to Memory Peak (Пик Память), this post is yet another unaccomplished hiking guide among my collection. However, the hiking destination featured in this post is just too gorgeous and accessible that it would be a crime not to share. In this unfinished hiking guide, you will find a few information of different peaks in Small Almaty Gorge in Shymbulak!
Location of Small Almaty Gorge
Located in the Ile-Alatau National Park, is a notable ski resort on winter and a mountain resort during summer. Past the Medeu Skating Rink is the Shymbulak Ski Resort in the Zailiisky Alatau mountain range.
In this mountain range, there are several gorges where several hiking trail branches off. One of them is called the Small Almaty Gorge. If you take a look at the map above, you will find several routes in this gorge alone.
How to get there and how to get out?
The best thing here is its accessibility to the city center. And finally, there's no hitch-hiking involved, which is norm in Central Asia. Based on my experience last June 2024, I have tried a combination of a taxi (through Yandex) and a cable car ride.
The trail we took is also a backtrack trail which means you will start and finish at the same trailhead - at Shymbulak.
Public Transportation: Bus & Cable Car
Taking the public transportation all the way is possible but the buses starts operating only at 6 AM. We need to start the hike earlier than that so I decided to take a taxi instead.
If you want to take the bus, take Bus 12 which goes all the way to Medeu Sports Complex. It has several stops within the city so you can catch it from the nearest stop to you.
- 🚌 To check the Bus Route, click HERE.
- 💳 Pay by cash (200 Tenge) or download the app 'Onay' and tap the phone as you board the bus (same amount).
From Medeu Sports Complex (the highest skating rink in the world), you have to take a taxi or a cable car to go to Shymbulak. I did both (taxi to go up and cable car to go down) but I do not know the cost of the taxi to go up as it was paid by the guide directly.
To go down by the Cable Car (Shymbulak to Medeu), I paid 4000 Tenge (price as of June 2024) for one person.
Yandex or Private Taxis:
If you're starting the hike early, taxis are your only option to go around.
You may use Yandex which is the most common taxi-hailing service in Central Asia. As of June 2024, here's how much it cost me from Almaty to Medeu Sports Complex and back:
Initially, I wanted to take the bus to go back to the city. Unfortunately, even though the rain was not much, I got soaked and feeling cold for quite some time so I was in a hurry to go back to the hostel (Wanderlust Hostel). I didn't even bother to explore Shymbulak nor to have some coffee *cries out of coffee deprivation*.
Hiking Trailhead (Shymbulak):
The actual hiking trailhead is in Shymbulak.
If you're taking a taxi, you may ask the driver to go a little further up until the end of the paved road. There will be a few 'mountain camps' or 'alp lager' beyond the paved road and this is where you should start hiking.
Hiking Trail Sections:
1. Mountaineers Memorial, Conifer Trees & David Creedon Memorial
As you start walking past the mountain camps spread out along the gorge, the first thing you will come across with is the Mountaineers Memorial. It is where the fallen mountaineers are honored and remembered.
The hike goes on the lower slope of the gorge where you can still enjoy the beautiful Conifer Trees.
There's also a memorial stone for 'David Creedon' along the trail with a shortcut trail next to it. The trail after will gradually pick up the elevation but nothing is technical and it's a straightforward path.
2. Mynzhylky Dam
After two hours of hiking, Mynzhylky Dam finally came in sight. Based on information online, it is a mudflow protection dam and next to it is a meteorological station.
Most hikers (including us) took rests here after the challenging (or is it just me?) ascent on the trail. As you peacefully enjoy your rest or consume your snacks, take a look back and enjoy the view of the Small Almaty Gorge in Shymbulak from the dam before you go higher.
3. Mountain Valley, Camp Ground & River
As you hike further beyond the dam, a wide valley appears. There's a simple camp ground in the middle and even a small wooden and basic toilet. I was warned that it's not nice by the locals, so let me also pass on the warning to you. I wouldn't share the photo anymore because again, it's not so nice. 😉
From the valley, the trail will start to separate one by one from each other. There's even some signage posts spread out with a few information about the peaks ahead.
At the end of the valley is the source of the Kishi Almaty (Kazakh) or the Malaya Almatinka (Russian) River that flows down through the gorge. This river originates from the Tuyuksu Glacier and is the water source of the city.
Upon reaching this point, unfortunately, I turned around to go down by myself. If you want to know the full story, head to my travel story post to know more!
👉 Kazakhstan Travel Story: Alone but Not Lonely: My Solo Travel through the Great Steppe of Kazakhstan
4. Mountain Peaks and Beyond
Unfortunately, this will be the most disappointing section since I don't have any information beyond this point. However, I am so happy to learn about the different peaks accessible from this point.
Although not a comprehensive list (for sure), below is a signage (built at the dam) with a list of peaks and landmarks accessible from the valley.
Out of all listed above (adding the Memory Peak which isn't listed), I'm highly keen to go back and and do the following:
- Memory Peak (Пик Память)
- Malish Peak or Peak Kid as the locals call it (Пик Малыш)
- Tuyuk Su Glacier and Peak
- Glacier Observation Station T1
- And maybe one or two 4000'er peaks!
For now, the hiking guide ends here. When I get the chance in the future, I will update this accordingly.
Hiking Arrangements & Contact Person(s):
A new section in my hiking guides, you will find contact person(s) who knows the Small Almaty Gorge area and the Shymbulak in general. You can inquire from them regarding their guiding service, transportation arrangements, and even other nearby trails. Rates may vary so use your negotiation skills accordingly if needed.
- Aibek (@erkaibek) & Erik (@ericturkebayev) - Brothers (I hope I got it correctly) who guided the group hike to Memory Peak and referred by Tala Shin
- Adrenalinic Science - I do not know them personally but I refer to their blog and their hiking portfolio as a reference
Personal Thoughts:
Since I did not managed to reached any peak, this time, I will just share my general thoughts of hiking in Shymbulak, especially within Small Almaty Gorge.
Again, we all have different adventure appetites or what I call ‘#hikeppetite’ to begin with. So, a good trail for me might not be a good trail for you. And that’s completely okay, we don’t need to agree with everyone all the time. Anyhow, here’s what I think about hiking in Shymbulak (in general):
Pros:
- There are numerous hiking trails to choose from according to your preference and fitness level. Up to the river, the trail is easy and suitable to all fitness levels.
- Although the trail is already at the 2000 MASL level, the terrain has a gradual incline which is a nice training ground for hikers and even for trail runners (I saw a few of them during the hike).
- The trail is easy to reach by public transportation or taxi. Arranging transportation and logistics is not challenging either.
- Shymbulak Mountain Resort and its facilities is a perfect place to end your hike. You can grab some coffee or snacks to your liking from the establishments. There's also a proper toilet should you need to change clothes after.
Cons:
- Due to the proximity of the national park, it may get crowded and noisy at some point especially if there are big groups. If you prefer to have a quiet time, you may have to go when everyone else is at work (weekdays).
Overall, hiking in Small Almaty Gorge in Shymbulak was the perfect introduction to have a taste of the outdoors in Kazakhstan. Not only I have seen the endless opportunities of hiking in this gorge alone, I even met the sweetest and warmest locals I didn't even deserve!
Now, how can I move to Kazakhstan please?
Whatever decision you make, always remember to prepare beforehand, stay safe, and last but not least, enjoy the outdoors! #happyhiking!
With lots of love,
PINAYHAKAWATI 💗
AND AS A GENTLE OUTDOOR ETHICS REMINDER:
LEAVE NO TRACE!
